The PSAT™ 8/9 - Travis High School

Take an Important Step to College
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) is a vital step toward reaching your college goals.
It measures the reading, writing and language, and math skills you need for college and a career. After the test, you’ll receive feedback on how ready you are for college along with tools to help you improve.
Why Should You Take the PSAT/NMSQT ?
®
Free SAT® Practice Powered by Khan Academy
You’ll receive a unique SAT study plan based on your performance on the PSAT/NMSQT that features: + Personalized online practice tailored to your strengths and weaknesses.
+ SAT practice questions and full-length tests.
+ Detailed feedback on your progress.
Visit khanacademy.org/sat to learn more.
Enter Scholarship Competitions*
By taking the PSAT/NMSQT and meeting published entry requirements, you may enter the National Merit® Scholarship Program conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Go to www.nationalmerit.org to learn more.
In addition, students taking the exam now have increased access to nearly $180 million in combined annual awards for low-income and minority students through leading scholarship providers. You should opt into Student Search Service® when you take the PSAT/NMSQT to benefit from these opportunities. Learn more at collegeboard.org/sat-suite-scholarships.
Discover Your AP® Potential
After you take the PSAT/NMSQT, you’ll receive free feedback on your readiness for 20+ AP® courses.†
* See the 2015 Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT for details.
† Feedback is not available for eighth-grade and younger students. Feedback for ninth-grade students is only provided for
AP European History and AP World History.
Access to College Planning Resources
Your PSAT/NMSQT results will connect you to valuable resources that include:
+ An interactive score report with answer explanations to help you practice for the SAT.
+ A detailed personality test to help you find majors and careers that fit your talents
and interests.
+ Tools allowing you to search for and explore colleges, majors, scholarships, and more.
Connect with Colleges That Are Interested in You
Through the Student Search Service you can receive free information about admission
and financial aid from colleges, universities, and scholarship programs that are interested
in you. Just say “Yes” to the Student Search Service when you take the PSAT/NMSQT.‡
2015 PSAT/NMSQT Dates:
Primary Test Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14
Alternate Test Date: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Get Started
Over 3.8 million students are already proving their skills and expanding their futures with the PSAT/NMSQT. Early in the fall, be sure to: • Talk to your school counselor about signing up for the test.
• Visit khanacademy.org/sat to start practicing for the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT.
• Ask your school counselor for a copy of the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT, which contains a full-length practice test. This practice test can also be found online at collegeboard.org/psatpractice.
‡ Colleges receive only limited contact information and do not receive potentially sensitive information,such as Social Security numbers.
© 2015 The College Board. College Board, AP, SAT, Student Search Service, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks
of the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship
Corporation. National Merit is a federally registered service mark of National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
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The PSAT™ 8/9:
Start Students on a Path to Success
Establish a College Readiness Baseline for Your Students
The PSAT™8/9 is an assessment designed for eighth- and ninth-grade students and is closely
aligned to the PSAT/NMSQT® and PSAT™10. It is the first test of the SAT® Suite of Assessments.
These tests reflect what students are already learning in their classrooms and provide benchmarks
to understanding students’ progress as they enter high school.
Monitor Growth Over Time with the SAT Suite of Assessments
®
SAT Suite of Assessment scores are reported on a common vertical scale, allowing educators
to measure student progress.
PSAT™ 8/9
sets readiness
baseline
PSAT/NMSQT
and PSAT™ 10*
allow check-in on
student progress
Learn more at psat.org/8-9.
SAT
connects students
to college
Help Prepare Students for College
The PSAT 8/9 focuses on the few things that evidence shows matter most for college
and career success and provides districts and schools with unparalleled benefits.
Actionable Data
An online reporting portal allowing educators and administrators to:
▶▶ View consistent reporting across all tests in the SAT Suite of Assessments.
▶▶ Use PSAT 8/9 results to inform instruction.
▶▶ Filter results by demographics for use with equity and access initiatives.
Free personalized SAT practice for students
A collaboration with Khan Academy offers students and educators:
▶▶ Personalized online instruction that complements great classroom instruction.
▶▶ Official SAT Practice questions and full-length tests.
▶▶ Detailed information on student progress to guide next steps.
▶▶ Free access — anytime, anywhere.
These resources may also be used to prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 because of
the close alignment of these tests to the SAT.
AP Potential™
A tool that uses PSAT 8/9 scores to help identify ninth-grade students who are likely
to succeed in two AP courses: AP World History and AP European History.
Students who succeed in AP courses:
▶▶ Are more likely to succeed in college.
▶▶ Have the opportunity to save money on credit-granting and placement policies.
Administer in Fall or Spring
States, districts, and schools have the flexibility to administer the test in the fall and/or spring,
depending on their specific goals.
2015-16 Testing Windows:
September 28, 2015 – January 29, 2016
February 22 – March 4, 2016
Learn more at psat.org/8-9.
© 2015 The College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
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Information for Parents
What is the PSAT 8/9?
The PSAT 8/9 is an assessment given to all eighth- and
ninth-graders in FBISD that is closely aligned to the
PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10. It consists of questions in
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and in Math.
™
What should my student do if he or she doesn’t
know an answer?
™
What are the benefits of taking the PSAT 8/9
assessment?
It helps establish a baseline for students as they enter
high school and begin preparing for college and career
readiness. It also provides students with better access to
data and personalized study through the online College
Board and Khan Academy resources.
®
When will my student take the PSAT 8/9
assessment?
It will be administered during class time on October 14,
2015 throughout FBISD.
How should my student prepare?
The best preparation is to deeply engage in classroom
learning and practice skills over time. On test day, your
student should answer all the questions to the best of his
or her ability. It will also help if he or she gets plenty of
sleep the night before test day.
What should my student bring on test day?
Your student will need two No. 2 pencils with soft
erasers, an acceptable calculator, and a student ID
number or Social Security number (optional).
How long will the assessment take and how many
questions are there?
Actual testing time is 2 hours and 25 minutes. There
are 42 Reading questions, 40 Writing and Language
questions, and 38 Math questions. Some students will
take a fifth section that takes an additional 20 minutes.
Your student may encounter some difficult questions that
he or she does not know how to answer. Advise your
student that if this happens, not to get discouraged but to
answer every question to the best of his or her ability.
A message for parents
The PSAT 8/9 assessment will help your student prepare for
the future. By taking the PSAT 8/9, your student will learn
which skills he or she needs to work on for continued success
through high school and college. In addition, the PSAT 8/9
will identify areas where your student excels and may want
to consider taking higher- level courses, as well as areas he
or she should focus on to improve academically. Please note
that PSAT 8/9 scores are not sent to colleges.
Can my student receive accommodations for the PSAT
8/9?
Since the purpose of the PSAT 8/9 is to receive baseline
information on college and career readiness, students are
encouraged to try the test without accommodations.
Accommodations for the PSAT/NMSQT that students take in
11th grade for National Merit Scholarship must be approved by
College Board. There is no guarantee that the
accommodations your student utilizes now for PSAT 8/9 will
be approved for the PSAT/NMSQT. However, if your student
currently receives testing accommodations you would like to
request for the PSAT 8/9, please contact your Campus
Assessment Coordinator. Large print, braille, extended time
and small group are eligible accommodations for the PSAT
8/9.
How does my student receive PSAT 8/9 scores?
Your student will receive a paper score report at school
with a unique code giving him or her access to a robust
online score report.The scores reported will grow to
include every test your student takes that is part of the
SAT Suite of Assessments (see collegeboard.org/sat-suite
for more information).
© 2015 The College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Khan Academy is a registered trademark in the United States and other jurisdictions.
Información para estudiantes y
padres de familia
™
¿Qué es el PSAT 8/9?
Es una evaluación que se hace a los estudiantes de los
grados 8 y 9 y que está alineada a los exámenes
PSAT/NMSQT y PSAT 10. Está formada por preguntas de
dos áreas: Lectura y escritura basada en evidencia y
Matemáticas.
®
™
¿Cuáles son las ventajas de presentar el PSAT 8/9? Establece
una base para los estudiantes que entran a la preparatoria y
los ayuda a empezar a prepararse para la universidad y las
profesiones. También permite que los estudiantes tengan
acceso a información y estudios personalizados por medio de
los recursos en línea de College Board y de Khan Academy .
Un mensaje para los padres
La evaluación PSAT 8/9 ayudará a su hijo o hija a prepararse
para el futuro. Al presentar PSAT 8/9, usted y su hijo o hija
conocerán las destrezas en las que él o ella deberá trabajar más
para tener éxito constante en la preparatoria y la universidad.
Además,el PSAT 8/9 identificará las áreasen las que su hijo o
hija destaca y en las que podrá
considerar tomar cursos de mayor nivel, también identificará
las áreas en las que él o ella deberá concentrarse para mejorar
su nivel académico. Por favor tome en cuenta que las
calificaciones del PSAT 8/9 no se envían a las universidades.
®
¿Cuándo presentaré el PSAT 8/9?
Los exámenes se presentarán durante las clases en la fecha
siguiente:
¿Cómo se debe preparar el estudiante?
La mejor preparación consiste en comprometerse seriamente
con el aprendizaje en la clase y en practicar las destrezas. El
día del examen, el estudiante debe contestar todas las
preguntas lo mejor que pueda. Además, es mejor si el
estudiante duerme bien durante la noche anterior al día del
examen.
¿Qué debe llevar el estudiante el día del examen? El estudiante
necesitará dos lápices del número 2 con borradores suaves, una
calculadora aprobada y un número de identificación de
estudiante o el número de seguridad social (opcional).
¿Cuánto tiempo tarda la evaluación y cuántas preguntas
contiene?
El tiempo para hacer el examen es de 2 horas y 25
minutos. Hay 42 preguntas de Lectura, 40 preguntas de
Escritura y Lenguaje, y 38
preguntas de Matemáticas. Algunos estudiantes
trabajarán en una quinta sección que tomará
otros 20 minutos.
¿Qué debe hacer el estudiante si no sabe la
respuesta?
Es probable que el estudiante vea preguntas difíciles que
no sepa responder. Recomiéndele que no se desanime si
esto sucede y que responda todas las preguntas lo mejor
que pueda.
¿Puede el estudiante recibir acomodaciones para tomar el
PSAT 8/9?
El proposito del PSAT 8/9 es recibir la base para empezar a
prepararse para la Universidad y las profesiones asi que alentamos
a los estudiantes a que tomen el examen sin acomodaciones. Las
acomodaciones para el PSAT/NMSQT cual los estudiantes tomaran
en le grado 11 para las Becas de Merito Nacional deben de ser
aprobadas por College Board. Sin embargo, si el estudainte
actualmente recibe acomodaciones al tomar un examen, y desea k
estas sean proveidas cuando tome el PSAT 8/9, por favor contacte
al Coordinador de Asesoria de la Escuela. Acomodaciones
actualmente aprobadas por el PSAT 8/9 son imprension grande,
braile, tiempo extra, grupos pequeños.
¿Cómo recibirá el estudiante los resultados del PSAT 8/9?
El estudiante recibirá en la escuela un informe de
calificaciones impreso. El informe incluirá un código único
que le dará acceso a un informe en
línea más completo. Además de las calificaciones que se
reportan, el informe incluirá todos los exámenes que tome el
estudiante que sean parte de las evaluaciones de SAT Suite of
Assessments (vea collegeboard.org/sat-suite para obtener
más información).
La experiencia en línea está diseñada para ayudar a que
usted y su estudiante entiendan mejor las calificaciones y
usen los comentarios para desarrollar nuevas destrezas
basándose en una descripción detallada del rendimiento
del estudiante.
© 2015 The College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporati
Khan Academy is a registered trademark in the United States and other jurisdictions.